“The Millennium Song” is a song that heralded the dawn of the third millennium during the year 2000, the Millennium Year. The song’s message is just as relevant today as it was then.“The Millennium Song” is a song that heralded the dawn of the third millennium during the year 2000, the Millennium Year. The song’s message is just as relevant today as it was then. It is an arrangement of Frederic Chopin’s Prelude op. 28 no. 20 in C minor, with original, idealistic lyrics that speak of the coming of a new era, and which implore humanity to forget and forgive the past. It is a monumental song for a monumental period in the time we are living. I live in Catalonia, Spain, and an interesting fact that I discovered recently was that Chopin composed many of these preludes during his stay in Mallorca.
The Millennium Song
Time has come to change,
Time to find new life,
No more looking back,
Let’s forgive the past.Take my hand, friend,
We´ll go on as one
To a different world,
The third millennium.
The musical idea was to incorporate four different musical styles in one song: classical music, rock music, jazz and, finally, a modern techno rhythm. The challenge was to pass from the classical original to techno in three minutes!
But the most innovative aspect of my idea was to release the song simultaneously in several languages. I wrote the lyrics in English, and then asked friends from other regions of Spain and then other parts of the world to make various translations and adaptations of the words. All four principal languages of Spain have been recorded: Catalan, Castillian (Spanish), Basque and Gallician. Seven of these versions, including the original English version, an Occitan version (the language of southern France) and a Norwegian version, have been recorded by the Canadian soprano, Gurdeep Stephens, and are available on this page’s playlist and under corresponding translations.
TRANSLATIONS WITH SOUND RECORDINGS (recorded in Catalonia, South Africa and Slovenia)
Afrikaans
DIE MILLENNIUMLIED
Nuwe tye bring,
Nuwe lewenslus,
Kyk dan nie terug
En vergewe nou.
Neem my hand my vriend,
Ons gaan nou tesaam,
‘n Mooi wêreld in,
Die Millennium.
– Sjoerd Beute
Castellano
LA CANCIÓN DEL MILENIO
Llega el tiempo,
Nueva vida,
No mires atrás,
Perdona el ayer.
Dame tu mano,
Caminaremos
Hacia el mundo
Del milenio.
– Merche Bellido
Català
LA CANÇÓ DEL MIL·LENI
Ara ve el temps,
Temps per canviar,
Deixar el passat
Perdonar l’ahir.
Dóna’m la mà,
Junts construirem
Un món diferent,
El mil·lenni nou.
– Anna Asian
Deutsch
DAS LIED DES MILLENNIUM
Heut ist nun die Zeit,
Für einen Neubeginn,
Blick nun nicht zurück,
Vergib Vergangenem.
Komm mit, mein Freund,
Wir gehn Hand in Hand,
In eine andre Welt,
Ins Millennium.
– Rosemarie Nagel
English
THE MILLENNIUM SONG
Time has come to change,
Time to find new life,
No more looking back,
Let’s forgive the past.
Take my hand, friend,
We´ll go on as one
To a different world,
The third millennium.
– Michael Greenacre
Euskara
MILURTEKO ABESTIA
Denbora berriak,
Bizi berria,
Utzi iragana
Damutzen gara.
Tori eskua,
Elkarrekin goaz,
Mundu berrira
Milurtekora.
– Karmele Fernández-Aguirre
Galego
A CANCIÓN DO MILENIO
Chega o tempo,
Vida nova,
Esquence o demais,
Non mires atràs.
Colle a miña man,
Camiñaremos
Xuntos coma un,
Cara ao Milenio.
– Maria Gundín
Norsk
TUSENÅRS-SANGEN
Nå er dagen her
For det nye liv,
Tilgi det som var,
Start på nytt igjen.
Gi meg hånden, venn,
Sammen skal vi gå,
Mot de nye år –
Vårt Millenium.
– Inger-Britt Falk-Petersen & Inger Njølstad
Occitan
LA CANÇUN DEL MILLENARI
Ara ven lo temps
Lo temps de cambiar
De daissar lo passat
De perdonar lo ièr
Dona-me la man
Ensemble bastirem
Un mond diferent
Lo Millenari nòu
– Jacme Taupiac
Slovensko
PESEM TISOČLETJA
Zdaj prišel je čas,
čas za spremembe,
ne oziraj se,
včeraj za nami je.
Daj mi roko,
stopimo skupaj
v nov in boljši svet,
tretje tisočletje.
– Anuška Ferligoj, Vladimir Batagelj, Nuška Drašček
Zulu
ICULO LE NKULUNGWANE
Yithuba lethu
Lempilo entsha.
Asisahlehli,
Khohlwa okudlule.
Xhawula mhlobo,
Yebo, simunye
YiNkulungwane,
Yesithathu.
– Elliot S. Pewa
Choral version
The Village Choir of Sant Fruitós de Bages performed the Millennium Song in a bilingual Catalan/Spanish version at Easter time, when they traditionally sing what are called “caramelles”, or Easter songs, in the streets of the village.
The song is performed in four-part harmony to the classical accompaniment of the Chopin prelude, and now takes on the quality of a hymn. This arrangement starts with the Catalan translation, is followed by the Spanish version and ends with a repeat of the second verse in Catalan.
Music only
This is the playback version of the music, in CD quality. The file is much bigger than the other song files. The music is preceded by 2 bars of 4 beats at 150 bpm as a lead-in for the singer during playback.
Download a MIDI file of the original prelude.
TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE FOR RECORDING (contact Michael if you can sing in these languages!)
Albanian (Shqip)
KËNGA E MILENIUMIT
Po vjen koha,
Për një jetë të re,
Mos shiqo mbrapa –
Fale të kaluarën!
Merre dorën time, mik,
Do të ecim së bashku,
Drejt një bote të re,
Mileniumi i ri.
– Gani Jakupi
Asturianu
CANCIÓN DEL MILENIU
Agora’l tiempu ye,
Vida nueva,
Nun mires atrás,
Perdona’l pasáu.
Cueye la mano,
Xuntos vamos dir,
Al mundu nuevu,
Al mileniu!
– Roberto González
Bayerisch
S’ MILLENNIUM LIADL
D’zeit is heit jetz do,
De Zeit füa eppes nei’s,
Schaug gar net erst mea z’ruck,
Loss sei, wos nimma is.
Geh’ weida, Freind,
mit d’Hend’ beinanda,
Hinei in d’andre Weld,
In dritt’n Tausender.
– Sophie Hentschel
Bemba
ULWIMBO IWA MWAKANKULU
UWALENGA ITATU
Inshita yafika iya kwaluka,
Inshita yakusanga ubumi bupya,
Ukwabula ukulolesha kunuma,
Natwelele ifyakale.
Mune nguma akapi,
Tuye pamo,
Kucalo icaibela,
Ica mwakankulu.
– Musonda Victor Mpepo
Chishona
RWIYO RWE CHIHURU CHEMAKORE
Nguva yasvika,
Hupenyu hutsva,
Siya zvakare,
Uregerere.
Bata ruwoko,
Toenda pamwechete,
Kunyika itsva,
Yezvihuru zvemakore.
– Eliada Gudza
Czech
RWIYO RWE CHIHURU CHEMAKORE
Prichazi cas
cas pro zmeny
neobracej se
odpust minule.
Podej mi ruku
vykrocime spolu
k svetu noveho
Tisicileti.
– Aleksandra Korda
Dansk
MILLENNIUM SANGEN
Idag er det nu tid
Til nybegyndelse,
Vend dig ikke om,
Tilgiv det skete.
Kom med, min ven,
Vi går hånd i hånd,
I en anden verden,
I millenium.
– Ute Herreiner
Estonian
MILLENNIUMI LAUL
On aeg muutusteks,
Uue laulu aeg,
Ei vaata tagasi,
Andestame möödunu.
Anna käsi sõber,
Edasi lahme koos,
Paremasse maailma,
Uude Millenniumi.
– Maris Kivistik & Heli Leek
Second translation:
Aeg on muutuda
Leida uusi teid.
Ära viivita,
Kõigil andesta!
Sõber, anna käed,
Ühendagem teed
Uude maailma,
Uude millenniumi!
– Ene-Margit Tiit
Fanti
OPEPIPI NDWOM
Mber aso de yesesa,
Mber aso de yenya abrabo fofor,
Yennhwe hen ekyir bio,
Adze a woapaho no, yenfa nkye.
So mensemu yonko,
Yebe kodo aye kor,
Wo wiadze fofor mu,
Wo afe Opepipi Ebaasa no mu.
– Veronica Archer
Farsi
TARÂNEYE HEZÂRE
Vaghté-ân reside,
Zendegi-ye no,
Diruze morde,
Gozashte-ra bebakhsh.
Dastamo begir
Baham besuye
Khahim raft
Djahan-e hezâre.
– Fariborz Nami & Nazanin Amiriam
Français
LA CHANSON DU MILLÉNAIRE
Le temps est venu
De changer de vie,
D’oublier le passé,
Et de pardonner.
Donne-moi la main,
Pour construire ensemble
Le monde différent,
De notre millénaire.
– Nathalie Lebris
Gaelic
ORAIN NA MILLENNIUM
Tha a’n am air teachd,
Air son beatha uair,
Gun a corr coimhead air seachad,
Thor mathiness gun na seachad.
Gabh mo làmh a caraid,
Heid sinne a steach,
Go soaghal eile,
A treas millennium.
– Kay MacDonald
Irish
AMHRAN NA MILAOISE
Ta an t-am chun athrú tagtha
Am chun beatha nua d’fhail
Na féach ar cúl feasta
Fag an ré caite id dhiaidh
Tóg mo lamh-sa, a chara
Rachaimid ar aghaidh mar aonar
Chuig aois nua an duine
Chuig an Triomhadh Milaois
– Eoin MacConuladh
Íslenska
ÞÚSALDARSÖNGUR
Tími að brjóta blað,
byrja upp á nýtt.
Fyrirgefa allt hvað
forðum var óblítt.
Tökumst hönd í hönd,
heitum tryggðum því
þúsund ára öld
okkar bíður ný.
– Thorleifur Hauksson
Italiano
LA CANZONE DEL MILLENNIO
Vita nuova,
Tempo di cambiar,
Giorni andati,
Non pensarci piú.
Mano in mano,
Entreremo,
Una umanitá,
Nel millennio.
– Danilo Guaitoli & Rita Lugli
Jamaican
DE SING OF DE MILLENNIUM
A time fi change,
A time fi fine new life,
Yu caant look back no,
We haffi fegive de pas.
Gimme yu han fren,
Meck we gwan as one,
We a go somewhey new,
De nex millennium.
– Maxine Headlam
Japanese
Translation #1:
Grow up
New life of baby
You’ve just been born
You look forward to tomorrow
Please take hands with
Old people and young people
Please forgive each other
Never end to the future
– Satoko Matsuura
Translation #2:
When your flower
Starts to bloom
Your tears yesterday
Were wrapped in forgiveness
Take your hand
Walk together
The road to the future
The road to hope
– Yoko Tanagi
Kiswahili
MILENIAMI YA TATU
Muda ya kubadilika amefika,
Muda ya kutafuta maisha mpya,
Bila ku angalia kando,
Tafadhalini ku samehe zamani.
Shika mkomo yangu, rafiki,
Tuende pamoja kama moja,
Kwa dunia nyingine,
Mileniami ya tatu.
– Dennis Ocholla
Krio
DE SING OF DE MILLENNIUM
De tem don cam fo cheng
Tem dis fo new life,
No luk bak agen,
Le wi fogiv de pas.
Tek mi han padi,
Wi fo waka lek one,
Na wold we difren,
Dis ted millennium.
– Andrew Greene, I*EARN Sierra Leone
Luo
MILENIAM MAR ADEK
Ndalo mar lokruok osekochopo,
Nadlo mar yudo ngima manjien,
Onge rang’o chien,
Wanguon ne ndalo mokadho.
Mak lueta, osiepna,
Mondo wadhi kaachiel,
e piny may nyien,
Mileniam mar adek.
– Dennis Ocholla
Magyar
AZ ÚJ ÉVEZRED DALA
Ébred az új idõ,
Ocsúdik a jövõ.
Nem számít már a múlt,
Bocsájtsd meg mi elmúlt.
Hív egy új világ,
Barátom, add kezed!
Lépjünk be, ránk vár,
Egy új évezred.
– Lugosi Gábor
Merina
KALON’NY ARIVO TAONA
Mivadika ny taona,
Fiainam-baovao,
Tsy hitodihana ny omaly,
Ary hadinoy ny lasa.
Raiso ny tanako, ry akama,
Andao hiara-mamindra,
Amin’ny tontolo vaovao,
Dia ilay arivo taona fahatelo.
– Vololona Ramiakajato and Tantely Andriamanakasina
Nederlands
LIED VOOR HET MILLENNIUM
Het is nu de tijd
Voor een nieuw begin,
Kijk dan niet terug
En vergeef elkaar.
Kom dan mee, vriend,
Wij gaan hand in hand
Naar een wereld, nieuw,
Dit Millennium.
– Sjoerd Beute
Vlaams
LIED VOOR HET MILLENNIUM
Het is nu de tijd
Voor een nieuw begin,
Ga voor de toekomst,
En vergeet wat was.
Hé, kom op, maat!
We gaan tesamen
Naar een andere wereld –
Dit Millennium.
– Bart van de Putte
Normand Patois
LA BALLADE DU MILLÉNAIRE
L’heure est parv’nue
Pour un nouviau début,
Oublie la guierre,
Et tire un trait.
Donn’me la main,
Vient do me su l’chemin,
Pour une aut’ vie,
D’ not’ millénaire.
– Jean-Marie Dumaine
Piemontèis
LA CANSON DËL MILENI
A riva ‘l temp ëd cambié,
Ëd cerché na vita nòva,
Varda nen andarera,
Dësmentioma ‘l passà.
Dame la man, amis,
Marceroma ansema,
Vers un mond divers,
Vers ël neuv mileni.
– Alessandro Battaglia
Português
A CANÇÃO DO MILÉNIO
Mudan os tempos,
Mudam os sonhos,
Esquece o passado,
Não olhes para trás.
Dá-me a tua mão,
Vamos unidos
Até ao mundo,
Do novo milénio.
– Rita Ribeiro
Schwäbisch
S’ MILLENNIUM-LIEDLE
Heid isch’d Zeid komme,
D’Zeid fier ebbes Neis,
Gug jetzed nemme zrüg,
Vergib was gwäse isch.
Komm mit mei Freind,
Halded ons an de Händ,
Gehn in a andre Weld,
Ins Millennium.
Schwyzerdütsch
LIED VOM MILLENNIUM
Ziit isch jetz scho do
No mol neu aazfoo,
Lueg ned zrogg ond lass
Doch s’Vergangni rueh.
Du, ich, zäme,
Gömmer Hand i Hand
I ne neui Wält,
Is Millennium.
– Romy Amrein-Rognoni
Sranantongo
SINGI FOE WAN NYOENG TING
Foe troe a ting kon,
Foe wan nyoeng liki,
Jipi makandra,
Vergit alla takroe.
Teki mi anoe,
Wi sa go lek wan,
Na wan nyoeng presi,
Wan nyoeng grontapoe.
– Risto Heijmans
Srpski
(Serbian version in Romanized form)
PESMA MILENIJUMA
Dolazi vreme,
Vreme za promene,
Ne okreci se,
Oprosti proslo.
Daj mi ruku,
Krenimo zajedno,
Ka svetu novom,
Milenijuma.
– Tamara Ivancic
Suomi
VUOSITUHANNEN LAULU
Aika on tullut,
Uuteen elämään,
Älä katso taakse,
Unohda eilinen.
Ota käteni,
Jatkamme yhdessä,
Toiseen maailmaan,
Eri vuosituhanteen.
– Tuula Itkonen
Thüringisch
MILLENNIUMS LIEDSCHE
Die Zeit is itze do
for enen neien Onfang
Guge nisch nach hinne
vergab danen was war
un las sei was war.
Gieh mit mei Freind
mir nahm uns bei de Hende
un giehn nei in a anre Weld
ins Millennium.
– Brit Grosskopf
Trinidad dialect
DANCIN’ A THOUSAND STEPS
Well, time reach to change,
Sweet life sure to come,
We overs lookin’ back,
What past done past.
Ah, holdin’ yuh hand, sweetness,
De journey go be so nice,
Bright eyes in ah new mirror,
Time dancin’ a thousand steps.
– Jack Alexis
Wolof
WOYU JUNNI AT BU BEES
Waxtu wi jotna,
Waxtu dund gu yees,
Baña tee geestu,
Baale li weesu.
Joxma sa loxo,
Waaw! Ñu and doon benn,
Jëm beneen jamono,
Doorte junni at.
– Ibrahima Niang
Xhosa
ICULO LE MILENIYAM
Lithuba lethu,
Lempilo entsha,
Asisabuyi mva,
Libala okudlulileyo.
Xhawula mhlobo,
Ewe simanyene,
Kwinkulungwane,
Yesithathu.
– Luyanda Dube
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CREDITS
Gurdeep Stephens: voice
Sibongile Khumalo: voice (Zulu)
Bronwen Forbay: voice (Afrikaans and German)
Nuska Drascek: voice (Slovenian)
(Sibongile Khumalo sings by courtesy of Sony Music)
Michael Greenacre: piano/keyboard
Santi Careta Group:
Santi Careta: electric guitar
Santi Serratosa: drums
Jordi Franco: bass
Noè Escolà: alto saxophone
Marc Casas: percussion
Carles Oliver: rhythm box
Concept and musical direction: Michael Greenacre
Arrangement: Michael Greenacre, with the collaboration of Santi Careta
Musical production: Santi Careta
Pre-production: Santi Careta, The Sant Studios. Avinyó, Catalonia, 1-15 december 1999
Recording and mastering: Nyanyo Castaño, Kay Studios. Manresa, Catalonia. 16 & 17 december 1999
Instruments: Solans Music, Manresa, Catalonia; Roger Albà
Photo of stained-glass window: Lurdes Nuñez
Stained-glass window: Dove of Peace , by Leo Theron
South African recordings of Sibongile Khumalo and Bronwen Forbay
Production: Nicholas and Volker Hooyberg
Recording studio: Hirt & Carter / Videolab, Durban, South Africa.
Sound engineer: Philipp Maier , assisted by Gary and Malcolm Mersham
Sibongile Khumalo sings by courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment (SA) Pty Ltd
Slovenian recording of Nuska Drascek
Production: Djuro Penzes and Michael Greenacre
Recording studio: Radio Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Sound engineer: Dare Novak
Thanks to Anuska Ferligoj and Vlado Batagelj for facilitating the recording in Slovenia.
This project has been partially sponsored by
Fundació Caixa de Manresa
and has also received support from the Japanese company DENSO S.A. in Sant Fruitós de Bages, through the use of their video-conference facilities during the global video-conference of the Millennium Song across five continents on 16 December 2000.
Denso (global site) and Denso (in Europe)
We are looking for a major sponsor to collaborate in making this project grow. Our ability to record more translations depends on funds being available, so please write to us if you have any ideas or suggestions.